Income management extended to the Ceduna region

Income management will be rolled out to the Ceduna region of South Australia from July 2014 for one year and will continue in six other sites through a $101.1 million Australian Government investment.

Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews said income management is helping vulnerable people manage their Centrelink money, so that families are receiving the essentials, such as food and clothing.

“Income management is an important tool to help people manage their welfare payments,” Mr Andrews said.

“Findings from several evaluations have found income management has helped people meet priority needs, improved the health and wellbeing of children, offered protection from financial harassment, and had a positive impact on children’s schooling experiences.”

The Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey says consultations earlier this year, and through an independent study in 2013, found most people in the Ceduna region backed the introduction of this measure.

“As well as community members, non-government organisations, the local council and the police in Ceduna were very supportive of income management, saying it would have a stabilising influence on our community”, Mr Ramsey said.

“From July this year, income management will be available in the Ceduna Local Government Area and surrounding communities, including Oak Valley, Yalata, Scotdesco, Bookabie, Penong, Fowlers Bay, Coorabie, Nundroo and Nullarbor.

“People in these areas will be able to either volunteer or will be referred to the measure by a child protection worker or a Centrelink social worker,” Mr Ramsey said.

In addition, income management trials in the Northern Territory, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands of South Australia, metropolitan Perth, the Kimberley region, Laverton Shire and the Ngaanyatjarra Lands in Western Australia will be extended for one year to June 2015.